Young Lives in Seven Cities—A scoping study for the CYCLES project

FOREWORD
How do young people see the world? What are their
hopes and aspirations for the future? What does the
‘good life’ mean for them in an age of environmental
and social limits? And how will they navigate the challenges
of prosperity and sustainability now facing the
21st Century? These are the questions that motivate
the CYCLES* project which we are delighted to launch
with this report.
The CYCLES study builds on comparative research into
the lifestyles of young urban residents from around the
world, including the ground-breaking work of the United
Nations Environment Programme’s 2011 Global Survey
of Sustainable Lifestyles 1 . It focuses in particular on
the lives of young urban citizens, aged between 12 and
24 years, living in very different contexts and situations.
This report provides an initial sketch of our first seven
case study cities, drawing from in-depth audits compiled
by our research teams in the seven locations:
Christchurch, New Zealand; Delhi, India; Dhaka in Bangladesh;
Grahamstown in South Africa; London, England;
São Paulo, Brazil; and Yokohama in Japan. Each of
these cities is different. But each faces issues that confront
all urban communities across the globe: ensuring
good health and nutrition; providing safe energy and
efficient transport; offering good education and decent
employment; facilitating the hopes and dreams of the
next generation.
Between the ages of 12 and 24, young people develop
not just their bodies and their minds, but also their values
as citizens in a fast-changing world. Footprints for
energy use and habits of consumption are established.
Aspirations and attitudes are formed. The desire for social
agency may flourish or it may falter.
Our aim in this study is not just to understand these
phenomena but to identify pragmatic ways to help
young people across the world achieve their full potential—within
the limits of a finite planet. Our hope with
this report is to launch a vital conversation about young
people’s prospects for the future. To understand those
prospects is to understand the prospects for human
development. To improve them is to improve our own
lives. This report is the beginning of a journey. It is our
invitation for others to participate with us in this vital
conversation. We hope that you will join us!
Professor Tim Jackson
Director CUSP
* CYCLES_ Children and Youth in Cities—Lifestyle Evaluations and Sustainability